Fatal accident on the beam trawler Cornishman with loss of 1 life

Location: 44 nautical miles south-south-west of the Isles of Scilly, England.

From:
Marine Accident Investigation Branch
Published
19 June 2025
Vessel type:
Fishing vessel
Report type:
Investigation report
Date of occurrence:
6 February 2021

Accident Investigation Report 8/2025

Read our marine accident investigation report, which includes what happened and subsequent actions taken:

MAIB investigation report 8-2025: Cornishman

Annexes to MAIB investigation report 8-2025: Cornishman

Cornishman

Summary

On 6 February 2021, a beam trawler deckhand was fatally injured when the port trawl beam, which had been hoisted to facilitate a repair to the fishing gear, fell and struck him. It was found that a chain that was part of the trawl beam’s quick-release gear had failed, causing the beam to fall.

Safety issues

  • Risk assessments were not followed and stated mitigations were ineffective, placing the crew at risk while working under a suspended load
  • The chain type was unsuited to marine operations, where the salt water environment caused environmental cracking
  • The supplied chain had been unsuccessfully tempered during manufacture, which resulted in a high level of hardness and low ductility
  • The chain’s installation caused it to be led over a fixed pin, which introduced bending stresses to the chain links that were compromised due to corrosion and cracking

Recommendations

  • The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has been recommended to update The Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment) Regulations 2006 guidance to state the training requirements and accreditation of competent persons carrying out lifting equipment inspections. And, to update its training and guidance to surveyors to improve their ability to check compliance with these regulations during vessel inspections.
  • W. Stevenson & Sons Limited has been recommended to ensure compliance with the lifting equipment regulations; review and update its risk assessments; • confirm with chain suppliers and/or chain manufacturers before purchase that the selected chains are suitable for their intended use; and, implement the Fishing Safety Management Code for its fleet.
  • Capital Group FASING S.A., Poland has been recommended to review and amend its chain quenching and tempering process and offer its customers a hardness test certificate for the lifting chains it manufactures.

Updates to this page

Published 19 June 2025
Contents